The Nuclear Factor NF-κB Pathway in Inflammation

  1. Toby Lawrence
  1. Inflammation Biology Group, Centre d’Immunologie Marseille-Luminy, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Case 906, 13288 Marseille, France
  1. Correspondence: lawrence{at}ciml.univ-mrs.fr

Abstract

The nuclear factor NF-κB pathway has long been considered a prototypical proinflammatory signaling pathway, largely based on the role of NF-κB in the expression of proinflammatory genes including cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. In this article, we describe how genetic evidence in mice has revealed complex roles for the NF-κB in inflammation that suggest both pro- and anti-inflammatory roles for this pathway. NF-κB has long been considered the “holy grail” as a target for new anti-inflammatory drugs; however, these recent studies suggest this pathway may prove a difficult target in the treatment of chronic disease. In this article, we discuss the role of NF-κB in inflammation in light of these recent studies.

Footnotes

  • Editors: Louis M. Staudt and Michael Karin

  • Additional Perspectives on NF-κB available at www.cshperspectives.org



Also in this Collection

      | Table of Contents

      This Article

      1. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 1: a001651 Copyright © 2009 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved

      Article Category

      Updates/Comments

      1. Submit Updates/Comments
      2. No Updates/Comments published

      Subject Collections

      1. NF-κB

      Share

      In this Collection